Microsoft Minesweeper, Solitaire and Pinball are back in Windows 8 Store

The classic Windows games Minesweeper, Pinball and the Solitaire are back in Windows Store for Windows 8 as a Metro (new style-UI) look with more awesome gameplay features and new branding. These games have now better ways to play and fully support touch. With new achievements linked from Xbox Live you get new achievements on every gameplay and best of all, you can also play the games with players all over the world using your Xbox Live ID.

These classic games have been the part of Windows OS since Windows 98 but, now in Windows 8, Microsoft has included them with more options and better & user friendly user interface. These games now take full advantage of hardware acceleration thanks to Metro (new style-UI).

Here is a quick review of how the apps look like and what their features are:

Microsoft Minesweeper:

This, one of the best Windows game of all time is now even better with Windows 8. You get better graphics and hardware acceleration. You can select from two different themes, different board sizes and also play daily challenges.

You get onscreen instruction on the first time game play and the sounds are even better. You can also compete with other players worldwide using your Xbox Live ID and unlock achievements.

Microsoft Solitaire Collection:

Microsoft has done an awesome job by combining all the different solitaire games into one simple collection. You just have to download one package and others are downloaded with it. The games are also launched from one tile but, you get to choose between six different gameplays including the Free Cell, Spider, Klondike, Pyramid, TriPeaks and Daily Challenges. The gameplay is same but, the menus have been shifted to the app bars which are hidden when not in use hence, providing full screen gameplay with hardware acceleration.

You can design you own theme for background of any solitaire game but, you would need to download extra free package from Windows Store. If, you download free update package from Store, you get more features like play/pause on any device which means you can pause a game on Windows 8 tablet and start playing it again on your PC or Windows Phone from where you left.

Achievements are also unlocked as soon as you start playing any Solitaire game. You can play games online with others and compete in scores. You can also view the leaderboards which is done through your Xbox Live ID.

Pinball FX:

The best and probably the most adventurous game of Windows of all times, Pinball has reached a new height of gameplay adventures with Pinball FX. Now, you get hardware acceleration in Pinball along with full screen gameplay. The gameplay is same but, more difficulties have been added. You get more levels, themes, and board sizes. You get extra features like achievements which includes more balls, boards as well as backgrounds. Online gameplay is also there and you can view the leaderboards as well.

You can complete with other players worldwide using your Xbox LiveID.

These three games are among the other 66 awesome games available in Windows Store for free. Well, all are not free as two apps are paid ones and you can find more about paid apps here.